When AirDrop is missing on your iPhone, the usual causes are radio toggles, blocked settings, or visibility; run these checks to bring it back.
Nothing kills a quick share like a missing AirDrop button. The good news: this glitch rarely points to hardware. It’s almost always a setting, a short-range interference quirk, or a profile rule getting in the way. Work through the steps below, and you’ll send that file in minutes.
Why AirDrop Disappears On Iphone
Your iPhone advertises AirDrop with Bluetooth and negotiates the transfer over Wi-Fi. If either radio is off, if Personal Hotspot holds the Wi-Fi chip, or if a restriction hides the switch, the AirDrop control vanishes. Distance and line-of-sight matter too. Keep both devices awake, open them, and within a few feet.
AirDrop Not Appearing On Your Iphone – Quick Checks
Start with fast, low-risk checks before deeper fixes. These target the most common reasons the toggle goes missing.
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Where To Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No AirDrop in Control Center | Bluetooth or Wi-Fi off; Hotspot active | Control Center; Settings > Wi-Fi / Bluetooth; Settings > Personal Hotspot |
| Only “Receiving Off” shows | AirDrop set to Contacts Only with no matching card | Control Center > AirDrop; add your details to Contacts |
| Other iPhone can’t see you | Screen asleep or Focus blocks arrivals | Wake screen; Settings > Focus |
| Toggle exists but fails | Radio stack needs a refresh | Airplane Mode cycle; reboot both devices |
| Work phone missing AirDrop | MDM or Screen Time restriction | Settings > Screen Time; ask your admin |
| Transfers stall midway | Leaving range; weak Wi-Fi | Stay close; keep screens on; stay on the same floor |
Step-By-Step Fixes That Work
Open The Right AirDrop Panel
On the Home Screen, swipe down from the top right. Long-press the network tile, then tap the AirDrop icon. Set Receiving to Everyone for 10 Minutes, then try the share again. On iOS settings, head to Settings > General > AirDrop to check the same switches.
Refresh Bluetooth And Wi-Fi
Toggle Airplane Mode on, wait ten seconds, then off. Next, flip Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off and on. This clears stale links and nudges the chips to re-scan nearby peers. Stay on a known Wi-Fi network, not a captive portal that still needs a browser tap.
Turn Off Personal Hotspot
When Hotspot is active, your phone holds the Wi-Fi radio in a mode that blocks peer-to-peer sharing. Go to Settings > Personal Hotspot and switch it off. Reopen the share sheet and test again with a small photo.
Use Everyone For 10 Minutes
Contacts Only relies on both phones knowing the sender’s email or phone in Contacts. If that link is missing, discovery fails. Switch to Everyone for 10 Minutes, send the file, then go back to your preferred setting.
Keep Both Screens Awake
AirDrop discovery drops when a device sleeps to save power. Wake both phones, open them, and keep them close. If you use a Focus mode, allow AirDrop alerts during that mode or switch it off while you transfer.
Sign In To Icloud On Both Devices
Open Settings and confirm you’re signed in with Apple ID. On the other device, do the same. Matching Apple services help Contacts Only work, and some managed setups hide sharing when no account is present.
Check Screen Time And Allowed Apps
Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps. Make sure AirDrop is allowed. If the switch is blocked by a profile, you’ll see a note at the top. That means a work policy controls it.
Reset Network Settings (Last Resort)
Head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This clears saved Wi-Fi, Bluetooth pairings, and VPN profiles without touching your photos or messages. Rejoin Wi-Fi and test AirDrop again.
Update Ios
Software updates fix discovery bugs and tune radio timing. Open Settings > General > Software Update. Install the latest release, then restart. Many AirDrop hiccups vanish after an update and a clean boot.
Extra Tweaks That Often Help
Still stuck? Try these tweaks that solve edge cases and managed phones.
Check Your Contact Card
Open Contacts, tap your own card, and add the phone number and email you use with Apple ID. On the other phone, make sure that same card exists. Contacts Only needs that match to announce you as a target.
Mind Guest Wi-Fi And AP Isolation
Some routers run guest networks that block device-to-device traffic. If both phones sit on a guest SSID with client isolation, the discovery packets never land. Switch to the main SSID or use cellular while the radios stay on.
Clear Interference Around You
Microwaves, thick walls, and crowded 2.4 GHz rooms can shorten range. Step a few feet away from the kitchen, stand in line of sight, and keep cases that contain magnets out of the path. Little moves can make a shaky signal stable.
Restart The Source And The Target App
If Photos shares fine but Files fails, or the reverse, force-quit the slow app and reopen it. The share sheet rebuilds targets when the app relaunches, which often restores the AirDrop row.
Reboot Both Devices
A full restart reloads the radio firmware and clears stuck background tasks. Power both phones down, wait ten seconds, then boot. Test again before adding any VPN or Hotspot back into the mix.
Reset All Settings (If Needed)
When a profile or a long history of tweaks leaves odd behavior behind, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset All Settings. This keeps your data but returns system switches to defaults. Rejoin Wi-Fi, set AirDrop again, and retry.
Disable Vpn And Security Apps Temporarily
VPN profiles can block local discovery packets, especially when they enforce “send all traffic” rules. Pause the VPN, retry the share, then turn it back on once the transfer ends.
Check For Device Management Profiles
In Settings > General > VPN & Device Management, look for a profile. If present, AirDrop may be restricted. Your IT team can allow it or provide an approved sharing method. Personal devices without profiles won’t show this menu.
Use Mobile Data For Out-Of-Range Continuation
On newer versions, AirDrop can keep sending when you walk out of Wi-Fi range. Open Settings > General > AirDrop and enable the mobile data option. Keep both phones signed in and on stable coverage.
Test With A Different File Type
Try a small photo from Photos, then a note from Notes. If one works and the other fails, the source app may be the culprit. Force-quit that app and retry, or restart both phones.
Confirm Device Compatibility
Modern peer-to-peer AirDrop works across recent iPhone models. Older devices may only receive from the share sheet, not from the Files app browser. If you’re pairing with a Mac, keep both on the same Apple ID or set the Mac to “Allow me to be discovered by: Everyone.”
For the exact layout of buttons, paths, and feature notes, see Apple’s AirDrop guide. That page tracks current behavior and small menu name changes across releases.
Where Things Hide: Menus And Paths
AirDrop controls moved a bit across releases, and some paths carry extra toggles on newer builds. Use the map below to reach the right switch on your phone.
| Version | Settings Path | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| iOS 15 | Settings > General > AirDrop | Receiving Off / Contacts Only / Everyone |
| iOS 16 | Settings > General > AirDrop | “Everyone for 10 Minutes” replaces permanent Everyone |
| iOS 17+ | Settings > General > AirDrop | “Bringing Devices Together,” NameDrop, and mobile data continuation |
Fixes For Sending To A Mac
When the target is a Mac, open Finder and select AirDrop in the sidebar. Set “Allow me to be discovered by” to Everyone for testing. Turn off Personal Hotspot on the phone and Wi-Fi on the Mac off then on. If the Mac runs a guest network or a strict firewall, switch to a standard network and try again.
Check The Mac’s Radio Stack
On a MacBook, hold Option and click the Wi-Fi icon to see extra details. Turn Wi-Fi off and on, then toggle Bluetooth. If discovery is flaky, restart the Mac and iPhone. Keep both within a few feet and away from metal shelving or a microwave running nearby.
Good Habits That Prevent Repeat Glitches
Small habits keep sharing smooth. Keep Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on day-to-day. Avoid using Personal Hotspot during a transfer. Add your main email and phone to your own Contacts card, then share it with folks you swap files with often. Leave screens awake while the transfer finishes, and don’t walk out of range mid-send.
One-Page Fix Card
Grab these steps when you need a quick refresher:
- Open Control Center > long-press network tile > set AirDrop to Everyone for 10 Minutes.
- Toggle Airplane Mode on/off, then toggle Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
- Turn off Personal Hotspot.
- Keep both screens awake and close together.
- Sign in to Apple ID on both devices.
- Allow AirDrop in Screen Time > Allowed Apps.
- Pause VPN; remove strict profiles if present.
- Update iOS; restart both devices.
- Reset Network Settings if nothing else works.
When To Try Another Method
AirDrop is best for quick, local swaps. When range or policies get in the way, switch to Messages, iCloud Drive links, or a shared album. Those options travel over the internet and don’t rely on short-range discovery.
If you swap files with the same people, set up a shared album for photos and an iCloud Drive folder for documents. That gives you a lane when short-range sharing isn’t available or you’re moving around.